Brand Identity for Boutique Concierge Agency

Porter One is a new boutique concierge agency based out of New York City and supporting clients across the globe. Offering unprecedented access to unique experiences, Porter One curates bespoke events through a personalized process.

Haystack Needle was hired to build the Porter One brand from the ground up including both verbal identity naming and visual identity design. Our challenge was to distinguish the brand from others in the sector by adding a sense of classic luxury that also resonated as modern and international. It is this balance of respect for the lore of elite client service and the digital convenience and immediacy of the current age that we kept in mind throughout the creation of the identity.

The name “Porter One” was developed to reflect the sentiment of high-touch concierge service from the grand hotels of a mostly bygone era. Our corporate identity development process focuses on helping clients tell a story with their brand. For Porter One, we created a fictional mythology around an elite concierge team who rely on a cherished leatherbound book filled with contacts and addresses dating back a century. The book, as we imagined it, is passed down to each successive team leader who also inherits the title of “Porter One” as long as they hold the position.

Once we had buy-in on the name, we created a visual identity that aligned with this story but didn’t feel dusty and outdated. The clean thin font with classic contrasting colors nods to a modern future facing sensibility. While the key imagery harkens back to historical hotel references, the keen eye quickly delights in the recognition of the modern lettering of the “P and 1” interlaced. This icon is overlaid on a zen circle-style background which lends an international sensibility to the marque while speaking directly to Porter One’s customized approach to each of their client’s needs. The colors - rich blues and stately greys are tasteful and intentionally reserved as if to emphasize that the client not the concierge is the real star.